Six Mile Creek Star Posts

Use this topic for posts to collect community stars for the Six Mile Creek course.

Here’s how it works.

  • Click the “Post Using This Template” button below to create a new post with a Story heading and boilerplate text.
  • Replace the boilerplate text with your report for one or both sections. The headers is key for distinguishing between posts and replies—don’t change it.
  • Your post must be on the same calendar day as your run as entered in Webscorer.

Story

To pick up a community star, replace this text with a write-up of what your run was like, a photo you took on the run, a link to your Strava track, or something similar. Don’t delete the Story heading above.

Story

My original plan to started the Ultra Challenge at the stroke of midnight was nixed because my body isn’t ready for that distance yet. Instead I got out in the sweltering afternoon and drew the first mud on this one. I know these trails well but had to follow Adam’s cue sheet to figure out which way to go on the singletrack. It’s a fun route but will take some getting used to since there are so many short trails here. Word to the wise: if you follow a trail that isn’t blazed blue (other than the wide Rec Way path itself) you’re off course. @adamengst I’ll help you with mapping and directions on this one.

Tons of undergrads were partying hard on the gorge’s north side and at one of the nearby houses since this was the first week of “summer”.

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Thanks, Pete! I finished the RunGo directions later in the day, and my plan is to hike this course tomorrow to check them. It’s tricky to guess exactly where cues should happen.

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Story

My goal for the hike today was to check my Six Mile Creek RunGo directions, but there was one other thing. When I was making them yesterday, I noticed that RunGo and other services were showing another trail that would connect the two loops I’d made off the South Hill Rec Way. That connection would be way better if it worked, so when I got to that point, I took the turn.

About a mile in, I came to a gorgeous little stream intersection where two streams combined. I could see on the map (I was following the trail using Strava’s route mode) where the trail was supposed to go, but it led up an incredibly steep spine of land. I tried to bushwhack around it a few times, but then decided to climb it just in case it wasn’t as hard as it looked. Alas, it was, and I had trouble getting up and even more trouble getting back down. Much as I wanted to make the connection, I just couldn’t send everyone that way.

Heading back, I took a different turn that went back up to the Rec Way and reconnected with Tonya who had started running the course about 30 minutes after me. She had found a grassy path that did indeed pop out on the Rec Way, and seemed like it might be a workable alternative. But, unfortunately, it was one of those spots that has a No Entry sign on the Rec Way side. Foiled again!

So, as much as I was looking forward to improving the course with more trail, it doesn’t seem possible without some significant trail work and the blessing of the Town of Ithaca. Tonya bounced off on the second trail loop ahead of me.

I resigned myself to the remainder of the course as defined, enjoying the sunny weather and pretty flowers along the Rec Way.

When I was approaching Juniper Drive again, I started my 7 by 1 minute run/walk intervals, which actually felt a little better than walking at that point, and ended up finishing shortly after Tonya. And then I found happy little graffiti in the dust on the car’s back window.

Hope everyone else had great runs today too!

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Story

I loved my run today. I started running about 30 minute after Adam had begun his walk to fine-tune the Run Go for the course. The flowers were out! The sun was shining! The breeze was blowing! The first bit is downhill! Adam and I texted a few times about tweaks to Run Go, since I was relying on it in order to “cover the ground,” having finally gotten it working on my Apple Watch with actual volume.

And then… Adam texted me to say that he’d found where the trail he saw on some online map pops off and he was going to follow it. He told me where that was. When I got there (just turn left at the gully before the cement bridge…) I followed him. We went deeper and deeper into gorgeousness as I followed and Adam meandered. The water was sparkly in the creeks. I took photos of flowers. (I believe that in past years, some of these trails have been very, very muddy and overgrown, but the area is more dry than normal.)

Eventually, Adam’s route ran out of steam and we met up near the Recway.

I continued on, pondering how the Recway is a nice rail trail, but it takes more time and curiosity to explore the fantastic footpaths that dip into the woods. That could be a metaphor for so many things.

I stopped at the car (at the Juniper Road parking where the Challenge sign is) to drink some cold water and then I continued on course to do the final, short stub of the Recway and return to the car. I finished at nearly 8 miles (longer than the actual course due to extra exploration) and had time to get another drink before Adam came back along the path, finishing the part that he was able to run.

I had forgotten how nice this trail area is and hope to get out here much more this summer.

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I’m not sure but I think this part used to have a “Keep Out” sign that was posted by the Ithaca DPW but has since been removed. I saw that connector trail on the Strava map too but couldn’t figure out how it would without leaving the blue-blazed official trails. It might be good to let other Challengers know not to stray from the blue trails (except when on the Rec Way) because there’s loss of unmarked trails where it’s easy to get lost, end up in someone’s back yard, or risk falling into the gorge.

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A missing sign would explain a lot, though you have to go a mile before you hit a spot where you can’t continue. Are you sure that all our tails are blue-blazed? The first loop is, but I’m not sure I saw them on the second loop.

I’m about 95% sure that all the official trails, which this course uses, are blazed blue. Some sections have blazes more frequently than others. I definitely saw them on the second singletrack section, when you leave the Rec Way and return to it about 0.75 miles later.

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Story

This is the look of someone about to head down the wrong hill and take a few wrong turns into the wilds for a bit before getting on track. (Notice the closed eyes. Bad idea!) :sweat_smile: I should have visually consulted the Run Go map first and I hope to re-do this course, starting off in the right direction. :grin:

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Story

I live at the foot of South Hill and run the Rec Way often, so I decided to make this course my first solo effort in the Challenge. Rather than drive to the Juniper Drive start, I ran my usual route up to the trailhead on Hudson St (with the murals), then joined the course at the point that it turns onto the trails from the Rec Way.

I had RunGo up but it still took me 6-7 minutes of trying each trail near a stile to get on the right one - the app is way less accurate for me on trails than roads and often announces the turns well after I come to them.

Eventually I did get onto the right trail and started my official effort. There are a few difficult sections in terms of surface/steepness/rootiness, which I walked since I had raced the day before, but the trails were pretty dry and I made it through without getting seriously wet or muddy and with zero slips or falls. I’m not at all a trail runner, but I’d definitely come back to the big loop for an easy day as long as I had trail shoes and the directions.

After finishing the two loops and the long Rec Way sections in the RunGo order, I went back down the Hudson St leg to finish at the start of the big loop, then ran the final mile home for a total of 8.9 miles with 755 feet of vert.

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Story

I decided to do the last section of Rec Way first, remembering from 2021 how much of a slog that part is. Then I headed down the hill the way the RunGo directions intend this course to be ran. Most of the trails off the rec way, especially the second set, were muddy and slippery, and I was double checking the map frequently to make sure I didn’t get off course. Still a fun 6 miles.

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Story

Was super happy @lizhartman was able to join me for an easy run through of this course. Always good to catch up and have some company.

Getting there was half the battle. As a non-Ithacan the winding, narrow, hilly streets of Ithaca with their randomly placed stop signs (is that a two-way stop? a four-way stop? wait there is no stop!?!?) always give me anxiety. Definitely would not have found the trailhead without navigation help. I may park on Burns Road and run this from the middle next time. That is an easier spot for an “outsider” to get to.

Not sure I am diggin’ the vibe of this course though. It could be a good place for fast tempo run but then you have to randomly dive into the forest and navigate some unmarked, rocky, muddy, narrow trails. Don’t get me wrong, I love rocks and mud (I am a geologist!). But the juxtaposition with the easy rec trail I find a bit odd. Maybe I should approach it as a Fartlek run? Go hard on the rec trail and then wander around in the woods a bit?

Definitely got off course on both the single track sections. I think part of the problem is RunGo got ahead of us. It thought we were still running our rec trail pace, not standing at a dead stop at the intersection of three trails saying “WTF Adam?” (seriously, we appreciate all that you do @adamengst )

Anyway, will certainly do this one again and try to get it right. I suppose that’s part of the challenge!

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Story


our stumble through the muddy woods

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Yep! This course is a funny one, I agree. I wanted to introduce people to those trails, because they’re quite pretty, but there isn’t as much distance down there as I had thought, so I had to extend the use of the Rec Way. And that was another goal—the South Hill Rec Way is an awfully nice place to run on its own. But I agree, it’s an odd mix of technical trail and rail trail.

I was sad that I wasn’t able connect the two trail loops down in the trails as the maps suggested. That would have increased the percentage of trail to Rec Way distance. But you really would have been saying “WTF, Adam?” if you’d see the steep ridge I would have had to send you up. It required using your hands to pull yourself up.

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The Rec Way is an awesome place for tempo runs BUT first you have to get there. I ran there about once a week most of this fall - getting there from downtown (via the leg that ends on Hudson St) and then up to the playground is 1.5 miles at 5-6% average grade. Tempo is not happening after that :cold_sweat:

Story

@DamianClemons returned home from a business trip a day early so we took advantage and drove to Ithaca. I’m still slow on the trails as I learn to become a trail runner but it was definitely beautiful. I look forward to doing this one again. We enjoyed a tasty lunch at Ithaca Bakery before returning home to pick the kids up from school.

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Story

Two of my personal goals for this year’s Challenge are to get my average age grade over 60% and to avoid falling on the trails. I inched my way closer to both goals today at Six Mile Creek. Using Julie’s fartlek approach of running hard on the rec trail and easy in the woods, I ran a few minutes faster than my initial time. I improved my average age grade (now at 59.45%) and did it with no falls or twisted ankles.

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No broken toes this year!

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Story

Hit this trail early (for me) to try and beat the heat today :laughing:
Little did I know how many hills I would be hitting today :sweat_smile: :face_with_spiral_eyes:




This was the hardest trail run I have personally done yet. :face_with_open_eyes_and_hand_over_mouth:
Makes me worried about the blueberry patch and Ludlowville loops :sweat_smile:
Anywho I did enjoy this one, as I have run the rec way many times but never ventured into the woods till today, so thank you for that :slight_smile:


Stay Hydrated&Salted out there! I was completely soaked by the end of the run, and it wasn’t even 10:30 yet :laughing:
Blows my mind how anyone can run without water on hand :sweat_smile: but I have always been a heavy sweater :sweat_drops: :sweat_drops: :sweat_drops: :sweat_smile:

1 Like